5 ways to rock your open enrollment period

(BPT) - Open enrollment season is quickly approaching and, if you’re like most of us, it’s not one of the seasons you look forward to. Holiday season? Heck yes. Fall TV season? Giddyup. Open enrollment season? Eh, not so much. The paperwork, the deductibles, the big-ticket decisions – it can be a lot of stress. In fact, a national poll run by VSP Vision Care, the nation’s only not-for-profit vision care company, found that more people prefer trying on bathing suits to open enrollment.

Thankfully, we’ve rounded up a few easy things you can do to make open enrollment a pain-free process:

1. Make it fun

We get it – deciding on a vision plan is not the most exciting way to spend a Friday night. But even the most mundane tasks become more tolerable when you invite friends over, serve up some snacks, and promise a round of pedicures when you’re all finished. So round up a few of your besties and get this party started.

2. Make it rewarding

Sometimes you have to motivate yourself with a new toy or a decadent treat at your favorite coffee shop – we are totally okay with that. Make yourself a deal that you’ll review your enrollment options and make a decision by the end of the week, then reward yourself with a reasonable treat. (Editor’s note: new cars and Louboutins probably don’t fall under this category.)

3. Make it simple

You know yourself better than anyone else, so take a minute to figure out what will make the process easiest for you. Do you like to make lists? Great. Make a list of benefit options and then check things off as you go. Are you a morning person? Tackle your benefit choices over your first cup of coffee.

4. Make it a conversation

Important decisions about your health can be scary, and a lot of us put them off way longer than we should. This year, instead of procrastinating, why don’t you grab someone you trust and work through it together? Phone a friend or talk with your spouse about your enrollment options. Team work makes the dream work, people.

5. Make a checkmark

Vision insurance is often the easiest thing to enroll in – it’s usually a yes or no option. So when in doubt, here’re some reasons to check the box. Saying yes to vision insurance usually means you’ll get a much-needed eye exam plus a stylish pair of glasses next year.  In addition, an annual eye exam can help detect signs of serious health conditions, such as diabetes and high cholesterol.  Take care of your eyes and overall health simply by checking the box.

VSP Vision Care recently conducted a national survey to learn more about peoples’ feelings and behaviors towards Open Enrollment. To learn more about the survey results click here.